


Blackbird~A Young Justice Fanfic

by juststaywhelmed610



Category: Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Childhood Trauma, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Delilah Cain, Don't Judge, Gen, Lots of it, Muteness, My First AO3 Post, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Superpowers, Time Travel, Young Justice Season 2, blackbird - Freeform, but only in the beginning, no beta we die like robins, that's my oc's superhero name, those come in later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:20:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29760240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juststaywhelmed610/pseuds/juststaywhelmed610
Summary: Delilah Cain and Bart Allen go back in time to help stop the Reach's invasion. However, this task is made even more difficult when Delilah has to keep her identity a secret to prevent the time stream from crashing. Another challenge in their way is that Delilah is selectively mute. Will Delilah and Bart be able to stop the Reach and save the future? Will Delilah manage to keep her identity a secret? Will new feelings be discovered?(I don't own DC or Young Justice. The only thing I own is my OC.)(Originally posted on Wattpad)
Relationships: Bart Allen & Original Female Character(s), Dick Grayson & Original Female Character(s), Members of the Team (Young Justice)/Original Female Character(s)





	1. Introduction

Delilah Cain lives in a terrible future. When she was younger, Delilah loved it when her mother would share stories of how the world was before the Reach invaded. When you didn't have to worry if you were going to be thrown into a labor camp, or worse. When the cities were full of life and you were able to walk down the street freely. But now her mother is dead. She was killed, right in front of Delilah's eyes when she was only seven years old, and Delilah hasn't spoken a word ever since that night. 

Without her mother Delilah relied on family friends, until they too were gone. Just when she thought she was alone in this cruel world, Delilah met Bart. They met on the streets one night, when Delilah was running away from Blue Beetle's army of soldiers, who were trying to take as many people as they could to the camps. Bart noticed the girl in distress and helped her to safety. Something just instantly clicked between the two. Maybe it was that they both had just lost their families, or maybe it was something else. It also helped that Bart knew sign language, so the two could communicate easily. The two preteens decided to stick together and protect one another. 

Everything was going great (or about as great as things could be) until Delilah and Bart were caught. They were sent to labor camps where they had to work, day and night, or they would be punished. They got little to no food, and almost no rest. 

Delilah and Bart lived like this for 2 years, until they finally escaped. They were on the run, when they stumbled upon the opportunity to go back in time and fix it all. The only catch was that this was a one way ticket, meaning they couldn't come back from the past. Although this seemed like such a difficult decision, the two quickly agreed to the offer. It's not like they had anything to come back to in the future. They had each other, and that's all that they needed. 

There's only one slight problem with this though. Delilah has to keep her identity a secret, or else it could crash the time stream (And not the good kind of crash. They'd all be feeling the mode.) 

Although the odd's are against her favor, Delilah is determined to succeed. And with Bart by her side, nothing could go wrong. Right? 

**A/N**

**This is my first ever fan fiction, so sorry if it's a little cringy, or if the writing is bad.**

**Remember to get traught, stay whemed, and feel the aster!**

**~ Ann**


	2. Chapter 1

**Delilah's POV**

**(A/N: When anyone is using sign language it'll be in bold)**

Bart and I sit in the time machine waiting for Nathaniel to send us to the past. I look over at Bart and he looks back at me, giving a reassuring smile. "It's gonna be okay. I promise," he tells me.

**"Yeah, no big deal. It's not like the fate of the future is in our hands or anything,"** I sign sarcastically.

He grabs my hand and squeezes it. I squeeze back. Suddenly, the machine starts violently shaking. I scoot closer to Bart and he squeezes my hand even tighter. He wraps an arm around me (in a protective manner), and holds me close. 

We huddle together inside this metal contraption as we soar back in time. 

Then as sudden as it started, the machine stops shaking. Everything is still, and it feels nice. It feels we could finally just stop for a moment and breathe. But Bart and I have a job to do. "You ready?" he asks, taking away his arm from around my shoulders.

**"As I'll ever be"** I respond with a small smile.

He gives my hand a final squeeze before letting go and opening the hatch of the time machine. 

Fog billows out from the inside of the time machine, as if it wanted to add to our dramatic entrance. Bart waits a second before swiftly jumping out, "Tada!" He exclaims.

I climb out next, my head down, eyes focused on the floor. I look up, hearing a computer voice, "Intruder alert. Intruder alert." As soon as I look up, I regret it. My eyes fall upon Dick. I feel like I can't breathe. Memories push themselves to the front of my mind, but I shove them away quickly. Apparently, Tim and Gar are also here. 

"Computer, lock down cave" Nightwing commands.

"Well, I think we found our unknown energy impulse" Beast Boy adds. 

I look to Bart as he begins to speak, "Impulse, that's so crash! Catchy, dramatic, one word." He speeds over to Dick, "Like Nightwing," he runs to Tim, " And Robin," he speeds to Gar, "And Beast Boy. Except that's two words. Blue Beetle is two words. Hey, is he here too?" Bart speeds over to the opening of a hallway. "Never mind, Impulse can find that out for himself." He speeds down the hallway, leaving me with the three very confused heroes. 

"Crash?" Robin mumbles to himself. 

"You two, take him down. I've got the girl," Nightwing tells Robin and Beast Boy. Robin and Beast Boy run off to try and catch Bart. Nightwing turns around to face me. He takes out his escrima sticks and slowly starts to approach me. "Hey, we don't want to hurt you. If you can just come with us we can get this all sorted out, okay?" He says in a soft tone. I don't want to fight Dick, but I can't let myself be captured. As he gets closer, I see his expression lighten up. I take in his ebony colored hair and every feature of his face. More memories float to the front of my mind, not all of them bad. But I have to push them away and remind myself that this isn't the Dick that I knew. 

Once Nightwing's about ten feet away from me, my instincts kick in and I leap into action. 

I land a kick to his side and he stumbles back. He comes at me with his escrima sticks, but I dodge them. He tries to sweep my feet out from under me, but I do a back handspring to escape it. I run up to him and pull out one of my throwing knives. I try to slice his arm, but he dodges my blade. Then Bart runs in, and Nightwing seeing an opportunity, rams into Bart. Bart crumples to the floor, and Nightwing quickly cuffs Bart's hands and feet. As I glance worriedly at Bart, I feel a hard kick to my spine. I stumble forward a bit, but quickly regain my composure. I whip around and spot the Boy Wonder with a smug look on his face as he spins his bo staff around. I swing a punch at Robin, but before I can deliver a blow, Nightwing sweeps my feet out from under me. My head slams into the floor, and my vision gets a little blurry. Robin clicks the cuffs around my wrists, and sets me over with Bart.

"Now _that_ was crash," Beast Boy says, running to catch up with the other heroes. "At least, I think."

"For you maybe. Us? We're totally feeling the mode," Bart says.

I nod my head in agreement, wincing at the sudden movement.

"You okay?" Bart asks me, concerned. I nod my head again.

I don't talk. I haven't spoken a word since I witnessed my mother's murder. I communicate through sign language, nowadays only to Bart or through Bart. Back at the camps, he would act as my translator when we spoke to the other prisoners or the guards.

I'm knocked out of my thoughts by Robin speaking up, "Why are you two here? And how did you show up in that thing?" He gestures toward the time machine. 

"We're tourists from the future!" Bart exclaims as if it's obvious. I glance around the room, trying to find Nightwing, but he's not here.

"You're _tourists_ from the _future?_ " Robin repeats slowly. 

"Don't look so surprised. Half the meat at comic-con are from our era," Bart replies. Robin and Beast Boy obviously don't buy it. Honestly, I wouldn't either. That was actually a really lame excuse we came up with. 

"Look, look, look, guys. We should all be friends! We're really one of you. Part of the heroic legacy, right? My name's Bart Allen. You know, grandson of Barry Allen, the Flash." Bart tried to reason with them. 

"Noted. Not believed. But noted," Gar nods his head slowly. 

"What's not to believe? I've clearly got Flash's speed. His amazingly good looks. Frankly, I can't wait to meet him!" Bart says before catching himself. "Y-you know. Back when he was in his prime." 

"Okay, and who's she. She hasn't spoken a word since you two arrived," Robin points a finger at me. 

"Oh, um. This is Delilah. She, uh-um doesn't speak," Bart stumbled over his words. When I first met Bart I had already stopped talking, and I never told him why I wouldn't speak. 

I tried to motion towards my hands to see if they'd take the cuffs off of me to let me sign. They probably won't because, _duh_ , but it's worth a shot. 

"What is she doing?" Gar asks with a raised brow. 

"I think she wants you to uncuff her so she can sign. Oh by the way, do any of you know sign language?" Bart asks in his typical Bart-y way. 

"I think Nightwing does, but I can't uncuff you even if I wanted to. Nightwing took the key. Sorry," Robin answers, looking apologetic. I just shrug my shoulders. 

Nightwing walks in holding two glasses of water. "Well Bart and Delilah, you must of worked up quite the thirst, coming all the way from the future." He thrusts the cups in our direction and holds them up to our lips. 

"Thanks," Bart says. He takes a sip, before coming to his own conclusion. "Oh, ah! You're trying to get a DNA sample. You need my spit." He spits in the cup, and I scrunch my face up in disgust. Nightwing wiggles the other cup and pushes it closer to my mouth, wanting me to take a drink.

I press my lips into a firm line and shake my head vigorously. 

"Are you sure?" he asks in a almost sing song-y voice. 

"That is such a Dick Grayson thing to do." Nighwing and Robin look startled, while Beast Boy is just confused. I nudge Bart with my foot and give him a small smile, thankful for him dropping a secret. 

Robin regains his composure the fastest, "How did-" 

"See! I know stuff that only someone from the future would know," Bart interrupts. Bart gestures to each person as he continues, "Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Garfield Logan." 

Beast Boy points to the Bats, still confused, "Your name is Tim, and yours is... _Dick?_ " 

"Oops! Spoilers! The secret identity thing is so retro. I mean, you can call me Impulse, or Bart, or Bart Allen, or Bart Impulse Allen. Whatever, it's all crash. And you can call her Delilah, or Blackbird. That's Lilah's superhero name. By the way, _totally_ crash," Bart rambled. 

"Is it possible he might actually be telling the truth? Could they really be from the future?" Robin looks up at Nightwing. 

Beast Boy walks closer to us, pointing a finger "Tell us something we don't know yet. When do I become a leader of the Team? When do I join the Justice League? When do I get my own reality TV show?" 

"Sorry BB, never was the best history student," Bart says. Everyone looks to me. I just shrug my shoulders. "Besides, we can't risk altering the time stream. We do that and we're all feeling the mode," Bart continues.

"And the mode would be bad?" BB tilts his head to the side a bit.

I nod my head while Bart replies, "Doesn't get any worse. Always better to crash the mode." 

"Uh, Noted?" BB replies, obviously still confused. 

"Recognized, Malcom Duncan, A-10." The computer voice from earlier rings throughout the Cave.

I look at Bart and give him a small nod. He still needs to fulfill his part of the mission. He smiles back at me and says, "Ooh! Looks like a door opening somewhere. And that's my cue." He vibrates his molecules through both pairs of his cuffs and speeds off. BB tries to race after him, but he's obviously too slow. 

I zone out as Nightwing and Robin discuss something about Bart drinking a tracker? I honestly wasn't paying attention. 

The other two heroes look back at me, almost as if they were expecting an answer. I move my hands that are still cuffed behind my back. "Oh! Uh, Nightwing can you unlock her cuffs. Bart said that she doesn't speak, so maybe she'll use sign language," Robin says. I give him a 'duh' face and twist around so Nightwing can unlock my cuffs. 

He seems hesitant at first, but then releases my hands. I rub my wrists and sign a quick **"Thank you."**

Tim looks confused, but Nightwing responds, "No problem. Sorry you weren't able to communicate with us earlier. We just didn't want you escaping or attacking again." 

**"It's fine. I understand where you're coming from."**

"Uh, what is she saying?" Robin asks the older hero. Nightwing translates for him. 

"So, Bart says that he's Flash's grandson. Who are your parents?" Nightwing asks. 

Although I planned for this, the question still caught me off guard. After a few seconds, I recited the story that Bart and I came up with. **"I never knew my dad, but my mom was a hero in our time. She, um, died when I was seven."**

Nightwing gave me a look of sympathy before translating to Robin. "I'm sorry about your mom. I know where you're coming from, trust me," Nightwing says before placing a hand on my shoulder. I flinch at the action. 

I look down and sign, **"Sorry."**

Nightwing glances at Robin. The two hold eye contact for a few long seconds. 

It seems like Nightwing is about to ask me a question, but I interrupt him. **"Do you have a restroom that I can use?"**

Nightwing sighs "Of course, um down that hall and to the left". 

I sign a **"Thank you"** and quickly make my way to the bathroom. 

I get in the bathroom and lock the door. I don't actually need to go, but I didn't want to have Nightwing or Robin asking anymore questions.

I look at myself in the mirror. My olive colored skin and black hair contrast against my green eyes. I got my eyes from my dad, whoever the heck he might be. What I told Nightwing and Robin about my parents wasn't all a lie. It was true that I never knew my dad, and my mom was a superhero. I just left out the part about my mom being their future adopted sister. 

After a few minutes I come out of the bathroom, but no one is there. Not really knowing what to do, I just sit down on the bench I was sitting at earlier. All I have to do is wait for Bart to finish his part of the mission. Hopefully the future will go back to normal. Doing this won't bring my mom back, though. She wasn't killed by the Reach, so she'll stay dead. Everything else though, will go back to normal. Hopefully. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Impulse's DNA matches with both Iris and you, Barry. And this thing is giving off both zeta and chronotron radiation." Nightwing says. Nightwing, Barry, Wally, Jay Garrick, Robin, Beast Boy, Mal Duncan, Bart and I are all standing around the time machine. I stand a little behind Bart and the 'Flash Family' as Bart calls them. 

Wally, also known as Kid Flash, speaks up, "Which is, based off pure theory, what you'd expect to find radiating off of a time machine."

"Which means you are exactly who you say you are," Barry places a hand on Bart's shoulder. 

"Ha! Told you. Anyway, it's been crash. But the future awaits us." Bart smirks a bit before continuing, "I gotta run." Bart starts laughing, but everyone else looks like they're cringing. "See what I did there, with the 'run'? That was for you Gramps," Bart points to Barry. 

Bart turns around to face me, ready to make our 'exit', but Barry speaks up. "Bart, thank you for coming. I look forward to meeting you again for the first time and watching you grow up." 

Bart gets one of the biggest smiles I've ever seen on his face, "That, will be crash." Bart throws himself at Barry's torso in a hug and I can't help but feel a little jealous. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm ecstatic for Bart. He gets to meet his Grandpa that he's always heard stories about. But there's no one for me to meet. I don't get to hug my Grandpa, or even my uncle. I have to keep my identity a secret, which means no official family reunions for me.

Barry snaps me out of my thoughts by turning around to face me. "And Delilah, I don't really know anything about you, but look out for my grandson, okay? You two seem close and- just take care of each other." I nod my head with a smile on my face. 

I walk up, next to Bart. "So long!" he exclaims as we climb in the machine.

The door clanks shut and I look at Bart in the darkness. I grab his hand and squeeze it, just like when we first arrived. He squeezes back and we sit there for a couple of seconds. Bart looks back at me and I nod my head, signaling for him to open the door. 

"It's not working!" Bart exclaims as he jumps out of the machine. I climb out as well, a look of frustration on my face. "The whole thing's fried!" Bart kicks the hunk of metal. 

"Can you fix it?" Barry asks. 

"I'm a tourist, not a chronal expert!" Bart throws his hands in the air. 

I shake my head and sign frantically, **"Now we're stuck in the stupid past, with no way to get home."**

Everyone looks confused except Bart and Nightwing. "I know right, we're totally moded." 

Beast Boy chuckles nervously,"Uh, what?"

Bart translates for me.

"So, what do we do now?" Beast Boy asks. 

**A/N**

**So this is the first official chapter! How do y'all like Delilah's character so far? I would love to hear your opinions! Also, if you had any constructive criticism please let me know.**

**Remember to get traught, stay whelmed and feel the aster**

**~ Ann**


	3. Chapter 2

**(Delilah's POV)**

I ended up staying at the Garrick's house with Bart. One, because they know nothing about who my family is so they don't know where else to send me, and two, because only Bart and Nightwing know sign language, but Nightwing's apartment isn't big enough for the both of us. Also, Bart and I are practically inseparable.

Nightwing came up with the idea of me just staying at the cave, since Nightwing practically lives there. But Bart and I quickly shot down that idea. We were _not_ getting separated. Not again. 

The Garrick's are nice people. They openly welcomed two strange children from the future. I think it's kind of weird how accepting and welcoming people are, but Bart just says that's how people act in the past. Or present, now. Time travel is confusing. 

Bart and I are staying in the same bedroom, mainly because we refused _not_ to. Like I said earlier, Bart and I are practically inseparable. Bart's letting me have the bed, while he sleeps on the cot that Jay and Joan gave us. I offered that we could alternate, but he refused. 

"Are you two settling in alright?" Joan pops her head into our doorway.

Bart and I are sitting criss cross applesauce on the bed. We were trying to figure out how to play Go Fish with a deck of cards that we found. "Yeah. Thanks a lot for everything," Bart replies. I smile and nod in agreement. 

"Alright, just tell us if you two need anything." She replies before shutting the door. 

"So how do we do this?" Bart asks. 

**"I think my mom showed me how when I was younger, but I don't really remember,"** I signed with a sigh. 

"Oh, okay," Bart goes back to shuffling the cards. 

We ended up just making up our own version of Go Fish. In the future, there was no time to just sit down and play cards. We were all a little too busy running for our lives or being enslaved in the labor camps. There also wasn't any time for school, which means that Bart and I don't know how to read or write. 

I'm snapped out of my thoughts by Joan calling us for dinner. We get up and hurry into the dining room. "I hope you two like pizza," Joan says as we enter the room. My mouth starts watering at the aroma. I haven't had pizza since my fourth birthday, when Mom and Dick somehow managed to find the ingredients to make one. That was the best dinner I've ever eaten. 

Bart and I are both in a pizza trance as we sit down at the table. "Would you like cheese or pepperoni?" Jay asks as he picks up two slices for his own plate.

"Um, both?" Bart asks. 

Jay smiles and places two slices of each kind on Bart's plate. "And what would you like, Delilah?" Jay asks.

**"Cheese, please"** I sign sheepishly. Bart translates and next thing I know, I have a gooey slice of heaven on my plate. 

Bart and I look to Jay and Joan before eating. After a moment of us just staring at them, Joan gets a puzzled expression on her face, "You two can eat." Bart and I let out a breath of relief and dig in. At the camps, it was a strict rule that you needed permission before you could eat. 

I guess that we should've just started eating, but it's like second nature now. That was so stupid! Now they're gonna be suspicious of us and ask questions.

Bart quickly finishes his four slices of pizza, but I get full before I finish my first. I'm not used to eating so much, I guess my stomach is still adjusting. After all, two days ago I was still in 2040. 

"Are you sure you don't want any more?" Jay asks me. 

**"I'm sure. Thank you for offering though"** I give him a small smile.

Bart translates and Jay speaks again. "You're very well mannered for a teenager." 

**"I was raised that way"** I reply with a smile. I remember Mom drilling it into my brain that I should always use my manners. 

A smile spreads across my face as I remember the happy memories. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Later that night around 10:00, Bart and I start getting ready for bed. I change into one of the shirts that Joan gave me when we first arrived yesterday. It's a little big on my small frame, but it'll work for sleeping. 

I crawl into the bed and wait for Bart to come out of the restroom. He walks out, wearing a t-shirt that is too big on him as well, and sweatpants. I sign a **"Hi,"** as he walks over to his cot.

"Hey," he responds. He sits down on his cot and stares at me. 

**"What's up?"** I raise an eyebrow at him. 

He must've caught himself staring and says, "Oh, uh nothing. I'm just thinking." 

**"About what?"** I ask.

"Just about how I'm glad that we met. I honestly wouldn't be here right now if we didn't meet." 

"I'm glad too," I smile. Suddenly Bart gets up and sits on the bed. I sit up from my position and thank God that I'm wearing shorts. That could've gotten real awkward, real fast. 

Bart scoots a little closer to me and then does something unexpected. He throws his arms around me and holds me close. I'm a pretty short person, even compared to Bart, so his chin rests on top of my head. 

We stay like that for a bit until Bart pulls away. A small smile on his face graces his face. "Thanks, I'm sorry. I just needed that." 

**"It's fine. I think I needed it too,"** I reply. 

Bart climbs down from my bed and before he turns off the light, he looks to me and signs, **"Goodnight Delilah."**

I sign back.

**"Goodnight Bart."**

A/N

Sorry this chapter is so short. I just wanted to give y'all a little bit of a better look into Delilah's head before I continued with the season 2 plot. What do you think Delilah meant when she said "Bart and I are not getting separated. Not again." I honestly love Bart and Delilah's relationship and they aren't even together yet!

Remember to get traught, stay whelmed and feel the aster!

~ Ann


End file.
